Proper Farm Pond Management for Animal Health

Pond Maintenance Products

Most farmers and ranchers have farm ponds that serve as a watering source for livestock and as a fishery for themselves. Farm Pond management, if not taken seriously, can have severe health concerns for both the livestock and the fish.

The essential root of the health problems that arise in farm ponds is animal waste. Farm ponds, stock ponds and lagoons that experience high levels of animal waste will also have low levels of oxygen, due to the amount of dissolved oxygen required to degrade the waste. This imbalance can lead to the production of noxious and toxic gases. The gases that are normally produced in these circumstances are ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, both of which can cause pneumonia and other illnesses in livestock. In addition to the production of harmful gases, the lack of dissolved oxygen can also result in a high mortality rate for the fish that reside in the pond as well as leading to an increase in algae and other unwanted aquatic plant growth.

Another reason for proper farm pond management is because farmers and ranchers who use farm ponds for irrigation may also experience crop and turf problems if their ponds' water quality has been compromised. Stock pond water that has become contaminated from the excessive levels of waste and low oxygen content offer no value to crops and very little hydration causing a tremendous strain and possible soil pollution. Aside from the impurities in the water, out of control algae or other aquatic nuisance plants can also clog the irrigation lines themselves creating a whole different set of problems for land owners.

To combat the negative effects of the animal waste and manure, the use of live microbial products, as part of a farm pond management program, can be extremely beneficial. These aerobic microbes bacteria feed on and digest animal waste and other organic matter, while at the same time increasing the dissolved oxygen content in the water. The reduction and eventual elimination of the waste, compounded by the increase in oxygen, restores healthy, clean and clear water, and effectively eliminates odors from farm ponds, stock ponds and lagoons

Additional benefits of microbial products, such as ones offered by Natural Environmental Systems, LLC, is that they are all natural and contain no harmful side effects like their chemical counterparts. They are safe for all fish, livestock and turf grass. Farm pond owners, who also use their ponds for irrigation, may also see benefits from using water treated with microbes. The microbes prevent irrigation line clogs and provide nutrient benefits to the soil being irrigated.

Farm pond management, whether it is a stock pond for both livestock and fishing or a lagoon for manure collection, can be a difficult task due to the many unforeseen variables. Microbial products can help eliminate these variables and help pond owners gain control over their ponds and get their management programs back on track.